"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

After I finished off the shrimp po-boy I couldn't eat all the shake in one sitting. I was too stuffed!

These particular gator's hides weren't quite as tough and leathery like I thought they'd be. Schawee says when they get bigger the hide gets much tougher.

I have only had it fried thus far & it was very good, at least my second batch was. My first batch, I put too much in which dropped the oil's temperature so that batch came out a little chewy. However, I saw my error and corrected it on the next batch which was crispy on the outside and tender inside.

I made a sauce for dipping, it was good yeah!

To me, cleaning an alligator is like a cross between a deer and an alligator gar, The meat is very light colored and no smell.

Annette wants an umbrella, I almost wrote Schawee and asked if he can get dry ice in his food stores (we can here everywhere) and an old Styrofoam cooler to ship me a few pounds (I'd gladly cover all costs) ;) Gator is going for about $8 to $10 a pound and you need to order minimum 5 pounds at any online shop I found.

I do have a question... Anyone had both "farm raised" and natural and how much difference between the two???

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John, I'll let Schawee elaborate in his response but from what he has told me he can only sell a finished product. Not sure if the meat could be shipped out of state legally without some special permit.

Alligators are protected under the Lacy act and anything/everything concerning the taking and distribution of gators is carefully scrutinized by the powers that be.

Mess up and you can be charged with a felony, no kidding aside.

Schawee was telling me about some guys just last year that were charged. All guns were confiscated and hunting privileges were revoked for some time and...

Oh I know well laws on hunting and fishing, NJ laws are rediculous, especially in the fishing department. First they charge $100 salt water fishing fee, then every boat ramp has an inspector - you get zapped for fish too big and too small here. Just to justify paying the fees, many fisherman use the "Catch and Fillet" method, not sure where they hide it - lol.

I'm sure the Louisiana online stores are fully permitted and that is a huge thing especially for export. Of course, they farm raise theirs, so I doubt same rules apply with them, they aren't fudging with the population.

Still wondering if anyone knows how different farm and natural raised taste different if they do.

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john, the laws on gators is something else.sometimes the wildlife people don't know.i was getting gators from a guy that sells hunts and today in the paper he was indicted by a grand jury on taking gators illegal.i had the gators in my shop and they came and seized them2 1/2 years ago.i broke all ties with him because of the illegal things he did and lying to me about it.i had feds and state wildlife agents come to my place to seize the gators.i was so scared, i thought i was going to jail.my attorney told me that i will probable be caught up in this,but to be a witness for the feds. as far as a cooking show i will get jp to my house and do my special on cooking gator meat. ...schawee

I almost wrote Schawee and asked if he can get dry ice in his food stores (we can here everywhere) and an old Styrofoam cooler to ship me a few pounds (I'd gladly cover all costs) ;) Gator is going for about $8 to $10 a pound and you need to order minimum 5 pounds at any online shop I found.

I do have a question... Anyone had both "farm raised" and natural and how much difference between the two???

Down here, they have froze gator meat in the freezer at the Piggly Wiggly (local grocery store). $8 a pound, farmed raise in south Georgia.

I haven't seen unprepared gator anywhere locally, some of the restaurants have it. We don't get real boudain either though, so I guess they haven't given the market a chance. My former father in law told me stories of keeping hatchlings for "pets" in an old bathtub when he was a kid, and then he'd release them when they got about 18"